Illumination device and electronic apparatus including the same

ABSTRACT

Provided are an illumination device and an electronic apparatus. The illumination device includes a light source configured to emit light, a surface light source layer configured to convert the light emitted from the light source to surface light, a focusing lens configured to focus the surface light from the surface light source layer, and a display panel including an aperture through which light focused by the focusing lens passes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 16/577,621 filed on Sep. 20, 2019 in the U.S. Patent and TrademarkOffice, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/733,840, filed on Sep. 20, 2018, in the U.S. Patent and TrademarkOffice, and priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0082826,filed on Jul. 9, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties byreference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an illuminationdevice and an electronic apparatus including the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, in the recognition of objects such as humans and otherobjects, it is increasingly necessary to accurately identify the shape,position, and motion of an object by accurate three-dimensional shaperecognition. For example, there is a demand for various sensors such asan iris recognition sensor, a face sensor, or a depth sensor in mobileand wearable devices, and an illumination device including multiplelight sources and optical parts is provided together in an electronicapparatus. A laser is often used for a sensor for three-dimensionalimage recognition.

Furthermore, recent displays for smartphones have bezel-less screenswith a full screen display, and it may be difficult to appropriatelyarrange an illumination device on the front surface as most of the frontsurface of a device is used as a display surface.

SUMMARY

One or more example embodiments provide an illumination device disposedat a rear surface of a display.

One or more example embodiments also provide an electronic apparatusincluding an illumination device that is disposed at a rear surface of adisplay.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description whichfollows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may belearned by practice of example embodiments of the disclosure.

According to an aspect of an example embodiment, there is provided anillumination device including a light source configured to emit light, asurface light source layer configured to convert the light emitted fromthe light source to surface light, a focusing lens configured to focusthe surface light from the surface light source layer, and a displaypanel including an aperture through which light focused by the focusinglens passes.

The surface light source layer may be disposed at a focal length of thefocusing lens from the focusing lens.

The surface light source layer may include a mask having a patternconfigured to form structured light.

The mask may include materials having different transmittances which arerespectively configured to transmit the light emitted from the lightsource or block the light emitted from the light source.

The surface light source layer may include a diffuser.

The diffuser may include a microlens array, a metalens array, or arandom optical structure.

The light source may include a plurality of light-emitting elements, andthe microlens array or the metalens array may have a size that is equalto or less than a pitch of each of the plurality of light-emittingelements.

The random optical structure may include grains, and each of the grainshas an average size that is equal to or less than twice a wavelength ofthe light emitted from the light source.

The random optical structure may include a meta-surface having atransmission phase.

The aperture may have a diameter of 0.5 mm or less.

The focusing lens may include a refraction lens, a Fresnel lens, or ametalens.

The metalens may include a plurality of nano-structures, and each of theplurality of nano-structures may have a pitch of ½ of a wavelength ofthe light emitted from the light source or less and a height of ¾ of thewavelength of the light emitted from the light source or less.

The nano-structure may have a refractive index that is greater, by 0.5or more, than a refractive index of a surrounding material.

The aperture may be provided corresponding to an area of 20×20 pixels orless with respect to pixels included in the display panel.

The focusing lens may include a plurality of nano-structures, each ofthe plurality of nano-structures having a shape dimension of asubwavelength that is less than a wavelength of the light emitted fromthe light source.

The illumination device may further include a heat sink disposed on arear side of the light source opposite to the surface light sourcelayer.

According to another aspect of an example embodiment, there is providedan electronic apparatus including an illumination device configured toemit light to an object, a sensor configured to receive light reflectedfrom the object, and a processor configured to acquire information aboutthe object based on the light received by the sensor, wherein theillumination device includes a light source, a surface light sourcelayer configured to convert light emitted from the light source tosurface light, a focusing lens configured to focus the surface lightfrom the surface light source layer, and an aperture through which lightfocused by the focusing lens passes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of exampleembodiments will be more apparent from the following description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an illumination device according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a microlens array employed as a diffuser of anillumination device according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a metalens array employed as a diffuser of anillumination device according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a random optical structure employed as anillumination device according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a display panel of an illumination device accordingto an example embodiment;

FIGS. 6 to 14 illustrate various examples of a nano-structure of ameta-surface layer of a light-emitting light source array device of anillumination device according to example embodiments;

FIG. 15 illustrates an example in which the illumination deviceillustrated in FIG. 1 further includes a heat sink;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus according to anexample embodiment; and

FIG. 18 is an exemplary perspective view illustrating the exterior of anelectronic apparatus according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described in detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeelements throughout. In this regard, the example embodiments may havedifferent forms and should not be construed as being limited to thedescriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, the example embodiments aremerely described below, by referring to the figures, to explain aspects.As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations ofone or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “atleast one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire listof elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. Forexample, the expression, “at least one of a, b, and c,” should beunderstood as including only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a andc, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

An illumination device according to an example embodiment and anelectronic apparatus including the illumination device are described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Also, the size ofeach layer illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated forconvenience of explanation and clarity. Terms such as “first” and“second” are used herein merely to describe a variety of constituentelements, but the constituent elements are not limited by the terms.Such terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing oneconstituent element from another constituent element.

Throughout the specification, when a portion “includes” an element,another element may be further included, rather than excluding theexistence of the other element, unless otherwise described. Also,throughout the specification, “on” refers to a top or bottom of atarget, and does not necessarily mean the top of the target based on adirection of gravity. Also, in the following description, when amaterial layer is described to exist on another layer, the materiallayer may exist directly on the other layer or a third layer may beinterposed therebetween. Since a material forming each layer in thefollowing embodiments is exemplary, other materials may be usedtherefor.

Terms such as a “portion”, a “unit”, a “module”, and a “block” stated inthe specification may signify a unit to process at least one function oroperation and the unit may be embodied by hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software.

The particular implementations shown and described herein areillustrative examples of the disclosure and are not intended tootherwise limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. For the sake ofbrevity, conventional electronics, control systems, software developmentand other functional aspects of the systems (and components of theindividual operating components of the systems) may not be described indetail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in thevarious figures presented are intended to represent functionalrelationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the variouselements. It should be noted that many alternative or additionalfunctional relationships, physical connections or logical connectionsmay be present in a practical device.

The use of terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the disclosure are to be construed to cover boththe singular and the plural.

The steps of all methods described herein can be performed in anysuitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearlycontradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or language(e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to betterilluminate the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope ofthe disclosure unless otherwise claimed.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an illumination device according to anexample embodiment.

The illumination device may include a light source 110, a surface lightsource layer 120 that converts light emitted from the light source 110to surface light, and a focusing lens 140 that focuses the light emittedfrom the surface light source layer 120. The focusing lens 140 may beconfigured to focus the light and have the focused light pass through anaperture 155 provided in a display panel 150 that forms an image. Atransparent layer 130 may be further provided between the surface lightsource layer 120 and the focusing lens 140. The transparent layer 130may support the surface light source layer 120 and the focusing lens 140and simultaneously transfer the light that passed through the surfacelight source layer 120 to the focusing lens 140.

The light source 110 may include an array of a plurality oflight-emitting elements 113. The light-emitting elements 113 may includelight emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes that emit laser light. Thelight-emitting elements 113 may include, for example, a vertical cavitysurface emitting laser (VCSEL). The light-emitting elements 113 mayinclude, for example, Group III-V semiconductor materials or Group II-VIsemiconductor materials and may include an active layer having amulti-quantum well structure, but embodiments are not limited thereto.The light-emitting elements 113, when applied to a three-dimensionalshape recognition sensor, may emit laser light of about 850 nm or about940 nm, or light in a near-infrared or visible light wavelength range.The wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting elements 113is not particularly limited and light in a desired wavelength range maybe variously emitted.

The surface light source layer 120 may include, for example, a maskhaving a specific pattern. Patterned light may be formed by using amask, and thus, structured light may be formed. The mask may be anamplitude mask including materials having different transmittances so asto transmit or block light based on the materials.

The surface light source layer 120 may include a diffuser. FIGS. 2 to 4illustrate examples of a diffuser. The diffuser may include, forexample, a microlens array 124 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The microlensarray 124 may include an array of microlenses 124 a. Referring to FIG.3, the diffuser may include a metalens array 125. The metalens array 125may include a plurality of nano-structures 125 a, each of thenano-structures 125 a having the shape dimension of a subwavelength. Theshape dimension of a subwavelength may indicate that the thickness orwidth that is a dimension to define the shape of the nano-structures 125a is less than the wavelength of the light emitted from the light source110, for example, a ½ wavelength.

The nano-structures 125 may include a material having a higherrefractive index than a surrounding material, for example, air, and maydiffuse light of a certain wavelength range on the basis of the shapedimension of a subwavelength, a specific shape, or an arrangement form.The nano-structures 125 a may have a type of a meta-substructure. Anyone of a height, a width, and an arrangement interval, that is, a pitch,of the nano-structures 125 a may have a meta-substructure when it isequal to or less than ½ of the wavelength of light. For example, whenthe width of the nano-structures 125 a is equal to or less than ½ of thewavelength of light, the nano-structures 125 a may operate in units ofscattering, and as the arrangement interval becomes less than thewavelength, the light input without high-order diffraction may becontrolled to a desired form. However, the width of the nano-structures125 a is not limited thereto.

The nano-structures 125 a may include a dielectric or a semiconductormaterial. For example, the nano-structures 125 a may include any onematerial of single crystal silicon (Si), poly-crystalline Si, amorphousSi, silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), gallium phosphide (GaP), titanium dioxide(TiO₂), aluminum antimonide (AlSb), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), aluminumgallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium phosphide (AlGalnP), boronphosphide (BP), and zinc germanium diphosphide (ZnGeP₂). Thenano-structures 125 a may include a conductive material. The conductivematerial may include a metal material having a relatively highconductivity that may cause surface plasmon excitation. For example, theconductive material may include any one material selected from amongcopper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), zinc(Zn), titanium (Ti), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd),platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), and gold (Au),and may include an alloy including any one thereof. Furthermore, atwo-dimensional material having superior conductivity, such as graphene,or a conductive oxide, may be employed as the conductive material. Someof the nano-structures 125 a may include a dielectric material having ahigh refractive index, and others thereof may include a conductivematerial.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the diffuser includes a randomoptical structure 126. The random optical structure 126 may have astructure in which grains are randomly arranged. A grain may have, forexample, an average size that is equal to or less than twice thewavelength of the light emitted from the light source 110. The randomoptical structure 126 may include a meta-surface having a randomtransmission phase.

When the surface light source layer 120 includes a diffuser, thediffuser may allow the light emitted from the light source 110 to betransferred to an object as flood illumination.

When the diffuser includes the microlens array 124 or the metalens array125, an arrangement pitch P1 of the microlenses 124 a or an arrangementpitch P2 of the nano-structures 125 a may be equal to or less than anarrangement pitch P3 of the light-emitting elements 113 of the lightsource 110. The arrangement pitch P2 of the nano-structures 125 a, whenthe nano-structures 125 a are periodically repeated, may indicate aperiodical arrangement interval. The nano-structures 125 a may have thesame size or a different size in one arrangement period.

The display panel 150 may form and display an image. Referring to FIG.5, the display panel 150 may include a plurality of pixels PX. Thedisplay panel 150 may include at least one aperture 155. The aperture155 may pass the light emitted from the light source 110, as it is. Theaperture 155 may be provided, for example, in one pixel PX. However,embodiments are not limited thereto, and the aperture 155 may beprovided in a certain number of pixels. For example, the aperture 155may be provided in an area of 20×20 pixels or less. The aperture 155 mayhave a size that is not recognizable by the human eyes.

The display panel 150 may include, for example, a display element suchas an organic LED (OLED). For example, the aperture 155 may be an areaobtained by removing a part of common electrode layer of a display suchas an OLED. A display element is sectioned into a plurality of regionsthat are controlled to be electrically turned on/off according to imageinformation, and such a region may be referred to as a pixel PX. Thedisplay panel 150 may include the display element and circuit elementsto control the same and may be an opaque area due to a metal materialincluded therein. The light input to the pixel PX from the light source110 under the display panel 150 is not output to the front surface ofthe display panel 150. The aperture 155 is an area for transmitting thelight emitted from the light source 110. Accordingly, the light input tothe aperture 155 may exit through the front surface of the display panel150.

In FIG. 5, P3 denotes a pitch of the pixel PX of the display panel 150.

The surface light source layer 120 may radiate light at uniformbrightness by diffusing the light. For example, a diffusion angle of thelight that passed through the surface light source layer 120 may be 10°to 30°. However, embodiments are not limited thereto, and the diffusionangle of the light that passed through the surface light source layer120 may be greater than 60°. The surface light source layer 120 may bedisposed at the focal length of the focusing lens 140 from the focusinglens 140.

The focusing lens 140 may make the diffused light emitted from thesurface light source layer 120 parallel or focused so as to beappropriately deflected to pass through the aperture 155 of the displaypanel 150. As the light is deflected most when passing through thefocusing lens 140, the angle of the light passing through the aperture155 may determine the field of view of a projector. The focusing lens140 may reduce the size of light. Accordingly, as the light is focusedby the focusing lens 140, even when the size of the aperture 155 isreduced, the light may pass through the aperture 155. For example, theaperture 155 may have a diameter of about 0.5 mm or less. The aperture155 may have a diameter of 0.4 mm or less. The focusing lens 140 mayinclude, for example, a refraction lens, a Fresnel lens, or a metalens.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a metalens.

Referring to FIG. 6, a metalens 141 may include a support layer 141 aand a plurality of nano-structures 141 b provided on the support layer141 a. The support layer 141 a may be replaced with the transparentlayer 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 or may be provided separately from thetransparent layer 130. The nano-structures 141 b may have various shapessuch as a cylindrical pillar, an elliptical pillar, or a rectangularpillar. FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the nano-structures 141 bhave a cylindrical pillar shape. The nano-structures 141 b may include amaterial having a higher refractive index than the surrounding material,for example, air, and may include the shape dimension of asubwavelength, a specific shape, or an arrangement form. Thenano-structures 141 b may have a type of a meta-substructure. At leastone of the height, the width, and the arrangement interval, that is, thepitch, of the nano-structures 141 b may have a size equal to or lessthan ½ of the wavelength of light. For example, when the width of thenano-structures 141 b is equal to or less than ½ of the wavelength oflight, the nano-structures 141 b may operate in units of scattering, andas the arrangement interval becomes less than the wavelength, the lightinput without high-order diffraction may be controlled to a desiredform. However, the width of the nano-structures 141 b is not limitedthereto. In addition, the height of the nano-structures 141 b may beequal to or less than ¾ of the wavelength of light emitted from thelight source 110.

The nano-structures 141 b may include a dielectric or a semiconductormaterial. For example, the nano-structures 141 b may include any onematerial of single crystal silicon, poly-crystalline Si, amorphous Si,Si₃N₄, GaP, TiO₂, AlSb, AlAs, AlGaAs, AlGaInP, BP, and ZnGeP₂. Thenano-structures 141 b may include a conductive material. The conductivematerial may include a metal material having high conductivity that maycause surface plasmon excitation. For example, the conductive materialmay include any one material selected from among Cu, Al, Ni, Fe, Co, Zn,Ti, Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt, Ag, Os, Ir, and Au, and may include an alloyincluding any one thereof. Furthermore, a two-dimensional materialhaving superior conductivity, such as graphene, or a conductive oxide,may be employed as the conductive material. Some of the nano-structures141 b may include a dielectric material having a high refractive index,and others thereof may include a conductive material. Thenano-structures 141 b may have, for example, a refractive index that isgreater, by about 0.5 or more, than a refractive index of thesurrounding material.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a metalens.

Referring to FIG. 7, a metalens 142 may include a support layer 142 aand a plurality of nano-structures 142 b provided on the support layer142 a. In FIG. 7, an example in which the nano-structures 142 b arearranged in the form of a rectangular lattice is illustrated. Inaddition, the nano-structures 142 b may be arranged in the form of ahexagonal lattice, and the arrangement form may be changed in variousways.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of anano-structure applicable to an example of a metalens.

Referring to FIG. 8, a nano-structure 143 may have, on an X-Y plane, amajor axis in a first direction, for example, an X-axis direction, and aminor axis in a second direction, for example, a Y-axis direction. Adimension in a major-axis direction may be referred to as a length L,and a dimension in a minor-axis direction may be referred to as a widthW. A dimension in a Z-axis direction may be referred to as a thickness Tor a height H. The length L may be greater than the width W, and on theX-Y plane, the nano-structure 143 may have an oval or a similar shapethereto. The nano-structure 143 may have an anisotropic structure.

The width W, the length L, and/or the thickness T of the nano-structure143 may be equal to or less than ½ of the wavelength of the lightemitted from the light source 110. Furthermore, when the nano-structure143 is regularly arranged, an interval between two neighboringnano-structures 143, that is, an interval between the centers thereof,may be equal to or less than ½ of the wavelength of light.

The anisotropic structure of a nano-structure may be changed in variousways. For example, on the X-Y plane, a nano-structure may have ananisotropic structure of another shape than an oval shape. Examplesthereof are illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring to FIG. 9, a nano-structure 144 may have a rectangular pillarshape. The nano-structure 144 may have an anisotropic structure of arectangular shape on the X-Y plane.

Referring to FIG. 10, a nano-structure 145 may have a cross pillarshape. The length L of the nano-structure 145 in the X-axis directionmay be greater than the width W of the nano-structure 145 in the Y-axisdirection. Accordingly, the nano-structure 145 may have an anisotropicstructure.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, when thenano-structures 143, 144, and 145 have an anisotropic structure, thepolarization direction of light (exit light) may be controlled by usingan array thereof. By arranging the nano-structures 143, 144, and 145having an anisotropic structure to have a particular direction and achange distribution of a direction, the light (exit light) may becontrolled to have a particular polarization direction. However, thestructures of the nano-structures 143, 144, and 145 are exemplary andmay be changed in various ways.

According to example embodiments, the metalens may be designed to beused as a metalens, a meta-prism, or a meta-diffraction element. Thesize distribution and arrangement rule of a plurality of nano-structuresforming the metalens may be designed so that the metalens may operate asa concave lens or a convex lens, a prism, or a diffraction element.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a nano-structure of anexample of a metalens.

Referring to FIG. 11, a metalens 146 may include a support layer 146 aand a plurality of nano-structures 146 b formed on the support layer 146a. The size distribution and arrangement rule of the nano-structures 146b may be set so that the metalens 146 may serve as a convex lens. Forexample, the width W of each of the nano-structures 146 b may increaseaway from the center of the metalens 146 by a separation distance d.When the position of one of the nano-structures 146 b is defined by aseparation distance d from the center of the metalens 146, the width Wof one of the nano-structures 146 b at a given position may be set to aspecific value so that the metalens 146 may operate as a convex lens.For example, the width W of each of the nano-structures 146 b mayincrease away from the center of the metalens 146.

In another example, the change rule of the width W of each of thenano-structures 146 b may be repeated as illustrated in FIG. 12.

Referring to FIG. 12, a metalens 147 may include a support layer 147 aand a plurality of nano-structures 147 b, and the width W of each of thenano-structures 147 b may increase away from the center of the metalens147 according to a certain rule. The metalens 147 may be sectioned intoa plurality of regions according to a distance in a direction away fromthe center O, and in each of the regions, the width W of each of thenano-structures 147 b may increase away from the center O. A case isillustrated in which the width W increases from the center (d=0) to aposition R1 and the width W increases again as the distance d increasesfrom the position R1. A cycle of repeating the rule of increasing thewidth W may not be constant and may be changed. The metalens 147 mayoperate as a convex lens.

When the metalens 146 or 147 operates as a convex lens, the intensity ofthe light emitted from the light source 110 may be reinforced and a wavefront profile may be controlled. The optical properties of themetalenses 146 and 147 may be controlled by adjusting the sizedistribution and arrangement rule of a plurality of nano-structuresconstituting the metalens 146 or 147, and consequently, beam forming andbeam shaping of exit light may be possible.

FIG. 13 illustrates a structure of an example of a metalens.

Referring to FIG. 13, a metalens 148 may include a support layer 148 aand a plurality of nano-structures 148 b formed on the support layer 148a. The size distribution and arrangement rule of the nano-structures 148b may be set so that the metalens 148 may serve as a concave lens. Forexample, the width W of each of the nano-structures 148 b may decreaseaway from the center of the metalens 148 by a certain distance d. Thewidth W of the nano-structures 148 b may decrease away from the centerO.

The change rule of the width W of the nano-structures 148 b described inFIG. 13 may be repeated as illustrated in FIG. 14.

Referring to FIG. 14, a metalens 149 may include a support layer 149 aand a plurality of nano-structures 149 b, and the width W of thenano-structures 149 b may decrease away from the center O of themetalens 149 according to a certain rule. The metalens 149 may besectioned into a plurality of regions according to a distance in adirection away from the center O, and in each of the regions, the widthW of the nano-structures 149 b may decrease away from the center O. Acycle of repeating the rule of decreasing the width W of thenano-structures 149 b may not be constant and may be changed. Themetalens 149 may operate as a convex lens.

In a metalens, the dimension and arrangement of a plurality ofnano-structures may be determined so as to perform a function ofdeflecting exit light. The arrangement rule and size distribution may bedetermined so that the width or size of a plurality of nano-structuresgradually decreases or increases in one direction, for example, ahorizontal direction. Furthermore, the above corresponding arrangement,which is one cyclic unit, may be repeated in a horizontal direction. Themetalens may be variously adjusted so as to control optical performancesuch as a beam diameter, a converging/diverging shape, or a direction ofexit light, and also to control a polarization direction of exit light.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example in which a heat sink is further providedin the illumination device illustrated in FIG. 1. A heat sink 105 may befurther provided at the rear side of the light source 110 to dissipateheat generated by the light source 110. As heat is effectivelydissipated through the heat sink 105, a malfunction occurrence rate ofan illumination device may be reduced and light may be extended.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an electronicapparatus (optical apparatus) according to an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 16, an electronic apparatus (optical apparatus)according to an example embodiment may include an illumination device1000 for radiating light L10 toward an object OBJ and a sensor unit 2000for detecting light L20, which is emitted from the illumination device100 and modulated (reflected) by the object OBJ. The example embodimentsdescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15 may be applied to theillumination device 1000. Furthermore, the electronic apparatus mayfurther include an analysis unit 3000 for analyzing at least one ofphysical properties, a shape, a position, or an operation of the objectOBJ by analyzing the light detected by the sensor unit 2000.

Optical elements configured to perform additional functions of adjustingthe direction of light generated from the illumination device 1000toward the object OBJ, adjusting the size of light, or modulating lightto patterned light may be further provided between the illuminationdevice 1000 and the object OBJ. When the surface light source layer 120(see FIG. 1) provided in the illumination device 1000 is designed to besuitable for performing such a function, the optical element may beomitted. The sensor unit 2000 senses the light L20, which is modulated(reflected) by the object OBJ. The sensor unit 2000 may include an arrayof light detection elements. The sensor unit 2000 may further include aspectrum element for analyzing the light L20 modulated (reflected) bythe object OBJ according to the wavelengths thereof.

The analysis unit 3000 may analyze at least one of the physicalproperties, a shape, a position, or an operation of the object OBJ byanalyzing the light received by the sensor unit 2000. By comparing apattern of the light L10 irradiated to the object OBJ to a pattern ofthe light L20 reflected by the object OBJ, the three-dimensional shape,a position, or a movement of the object OBJ may be analyzed, or thephysical properties of the object OBJ may be analyzed by analyzing thewavelength of the light excited in the object OBJ by incident light,that is, L10.

The electronic apparatus (optical apparatus) according to the exampleembodiment may further include a controller for controlling the drivingof the illumination device 1000 or the operation of the sensor unit2000, and furthermore, may further include a memory for storing anoperation program to extract three-dimensional information, which isperformed by the analysis unit 3000. The operation result of theanalysis unit 3000, that is, information about the shape, position, orphysical properties of the object OBJ, may be transmitted to anotherunit. For example, the information may be transmitted to anothercontroller of a device employing an electronic apparatus.

The electronic apparatus (optical apparatus) according to the exampleembodiment may be used as a sensor for more precisely obtainingthree-dimensional information regarding a front object, thereby beingemployed in various devices. Such a device may include, for example,autonomous driving devices such as an unmanned vehicle, an autonomousvehicle, a robot, or a drone, and in addition, may include an augmentedreality device, a mobile communication device, or an internet of thing(IOT) device.

The structure of the electronic apparatus (optical apparatus) describedwith reference to FIG. 16 is an example, and the illumination deviceaccording to an embodiment may be applied to various electronicapparatuses (optical apparatuses). The illumination device may beapplied to various fields such as imaging devices, projectors, scanners,or sensors.

The illumination devices according to the above-described embodimentsmay be employed to various electronic apparatuses using a concept inwhich an illumination device is disposed at the rear surface of adisplay panel and illuminates an object through the display panel.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an electronicapparatus according to an example embodiment.

An electronic apparatus 4000 may include a display 4100 for radiatinglight Li toward the object OBJ, a sensor 4300 for receiving light Lrreflected from the object OBJ, and a processor 4200 for performing anoperation to acquire information about the object OBJ from the lightreceived by the sensor 4300. The display 4100 may include anillumination device 4110 for radiating light and a display panel 4120for displaying an image.

The electronic apparatus 4000 may also include a memory 4400 for storingcode or data for execution by the processor 4200.

Light L emitted from the illumination device 4110 may illuminate theobject OBJ through an aperture 155 (see FIG. 1) of the display panel4120.

The illumination device 4110 may illuminate or scan the object OBJ withstructured light. The sensor 4300 senses the light Lr reflected by theobject OBJ. The sensor 4300 may further include a spectrum device toanalyze the light reflected from the object OBJ according to thewavelengths thereof.

The processor 4200 may perform an operation to acquire information aboutthe object OBJ from the light received by the sensor 4300 and mayfurther perform the overall process and control of the electronicapparatus 4000. The processor 4200 may acquire and process informationabout the object OBJ, for example, two-dimensional or three-dimensionalimage information, and may generally control the driving of theillumination device 4110 or the operation of the sensor 4300. Theprocessor 4200 may also determine whether use authentication has beenmade on the basis of the information acquired from the object OBJ, orapplications may be executed therefor.

The memory 4400 may store code for execution by the processor 4200, andin addition, various execution modules executed by the electronicapparatus 4000 or data therefor may be stored therein. For example,program code to be used by the processor 4200 for an operation toacquire information about the object OBJ may be stored in the memory4400, or code of an application module, which may be executed by usingthe information about the object OBJ, may be stored in the memory 4400.Furthermore, the electronic apparatus 4000 may further include acommunication module, a camera module, a motion picture reproducingmodule, or an audio reproducing module.

A result of the operation in the processor 4200, that is, informationabout the shape and position of the object OBJ, may be transmitted toanother device or unit, as necessary. For example, the information aboutthe object OBJ may be transmitted to a controller of other electronicapparatus which uses the information about the object OBJ. The otherunit to which the result is transmitted may include a display device orprinter that outputs the result. In addition, the electronic apparatusmay include smart phones, mobile phones, personal digital assistants(PDAs), laptops, PCs, various wearable devices, and other mobile ornon-mobile computing devices, but embodiments are not limited thereto.

The memory 4400 may include at least one type of a storage medium suchas a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type,a card type memory, for example, SD or XD memory, random access memory(RAM), static RAM (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasableprogrammable ROM (EEPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), a magnetic memory, amagnetic disk, and an optical disk

The electronic apparatus 4000 may include, for example, portable mobilecommunication devices, smart phones, smart watches, PDAs, laptops, PCs,and other mobile or non-mobile computing devices, but embodiments arenot limited thereto. The electronic apparatus 4000 may includeautonomous driving vehicles such as unmanned vehicles, autonomousvehicles, robots, or drones, or IoT devices.

FIG. 18 is an exemplary perspective view illustrating the exterior ofthe electronic apparatus 4000 of FIG. 17.

The electronic apparatus 4000, as illustrated in the drawing, may employa full-screen type display. The electronic apparatus may be a bezel-lesstype in which a display surface 4100 a occupies most of the area of afront surface portion of an apparatus. Furthermore, the display surface4100 a may have a rectangular shape having no notch.

As described above, an illumination device according to exampleembodiments may be disposed at a rear surface of a display panel toilluminate a front surface of a display through an aperture of thedisplay panel. Accordingly, a bezel-less, notch-free display having theillustrated exterior may be applied to the electronic apparatus 4000.

It should be understood that embodiments described herein should beconsidered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodimentshould typically be considered as available for other similar featuresor aspects in other embodiments.

While example embodiments have been described with reference to thefigures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat various changes in form and details may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An illumination device comprising: a light sourceconfigured to emit light; a focusing lens configured to focus the lightfrom the light source; and a display panel comprising an aperturethrough which the light focused by the focusing lens passes, wherein thelight from the light source illuminates an object through the aperture,and wherein the aperture is provided corresponding to an area of 20×20pixels or less with respect to pixels included in the display panel. 2.The illumination device of claim 1, wherein further comprising a surfacelight source layer disposed at a focal length of the focusing lens fromthe focusing lens.
 3. The illumination device of claim 2, wherein thesurface light source layer comprises a mask having a pattern configuredto form structured light.
 4. The illumination device of claim 3, whereinthe mask comprises materials having different transmittances which arerespectively configured to transmit the light emitted from the lightsource or block the light emitted from the light source.
 5. Theillumination device of claim 2, wherein the surface light source layercomprises a diffuser.
 6. The illumination device of claim 5, wherein thediffuser comprises a microlens array, a metalens array, or a randomoptical structure.
 7. The illumination device of claim 6, wherein themicrolens array or the metalens array has a size that is equal to orless than a pitch of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements.8. The illumination device of claim 6, wherein the random opticalstructure comprises grains, and each of the grains has an average sizethat is equal to or less than twice a wavelength of the light emittedfrom the light source.
 9. The illumination device of claim 6, whereinthe random optical structure comprises a meta-surface having atransmission phase.
 10. An electronic apparatus comprising: anillumination device configured to emit light to an object; a sensorconfigured to receive light reflected from the object; and a processorconfigured to acquire information about the object based on the lightreceived by the sensor, wherein the illumination device comprises: alight source; a focusing lens configured to focus the light from thelight source; and an aperture through which the light focused by thefocusing lens passes, wherein the aperture is provided corresponding toan area of 20×20 pixels or less with respect to pixels included in adisplay panel.
 11. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein furthercomprising a surface light source layer disposed at a focal length ofthe focusing lens from the focusing lens.
 12. The electronic apparatusof claim 11, wherein the surface light source layer comprises a maskhaving a pattern configured to form structured light.
 13. The electronicapparatus of claim 12, wherein the mask comprises materials havingdifferent transmittances which are respectively configured to transmitthe light emitted from the light source or block the light emitted fromthe light source.
 14. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein thesurface light source layer comprises a diffuser.
 15. The electronicapparatus of claim 14, wherein the diffuser comprises a microlens array,a metalens array, or a random optical structure.
 16. The electronicapparatus of claim 15, wherein the microlens array or the metalens arrayhas a size that is equal to or less than a pitch of each of theplurality of light-emitting elements.